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Designing Connected Stadiums for Better Fan Experiences and Streamlined Operations
When implementing networks for connected stadiums, IT managers must be adaptable and flexible in their approach as challenges and difficulties may arise.
Nazim Choudhury, Director of Market Development, iBwave Solutions, Director of Market Development
October 8, 2024
6 Min Read
(Credit: Tero Vesalainen / Alamy Stock Photo)
Across the globe, stadiums provide attendees with unmatched experiences, entertainment, and, now, connectivity. The fan essentials of the past included a hot dog, a beverage, and maybe a foam finger. Today, that also includes the ability to stay connected for photos, streaming, and even real-time stats. Additionally, stadium facilities increasingly rely on wireless connectivity for everything from point of sale (POS) operations to marketing. As a result, providing high-performance and reliable connectivity in these public facilities is more important than ever. However, due to their sheer size and challenging wireless spectrum environments, they are also one of the most difficult use cases in terms of network design.
The advent of private 5G networks has provided these venues with a critical alternative solution. Attendees and facility employees alike can seamlessly stream, post on social media, conduct sales, and generate digital content. These networks enable real-time player stats, instant replays, augmented reality, and IoT operations for increased security and lighting. These highly efficient, meticulously designed hybrid 5G networks bring together the benefits of both private and public networking to ensure high-speed connectivity tailored to the needs of the location. This makes hybrid networks exceptionally successful in meeting the demands of stadiums from a networking and connectivity standpoint.
Network Design Challenges
Stadiums pose significant challenges for network designers, including dense user populations, fluctuating traffic patterns, and complex architectural layouts. These factors require innovative approaches to ensure reliable connectivity and optimal performance during events.
Dense User Populations: Stadiums attract large crowds, leading to high concentrations of users that strain network capacity. Designing networks capable of handling simultaneous connections from thousands of users is essential for maintaining seamless connectivity.
Fluctuating Traffic Patterns: Network demand in stadiums varies widely, from intermittent spikes during peak moments to sustained high usage throughout events. Predicting and managing these fluctuations is crucial to prevent network congestion and ensure consistent service quality.
Complex Architectural Layouts: Stadiums’ structural designs, with reinforced concrete, steel frameworks, and expansive seating arrangements, pose challenges for signal propagation and coverage uniformity. Effective network planning must address these architectural nuances to provide comprehensive coverage across all areas.
Transition Zones, VIP Zones, and Fan Zones near the Stadium: There is a need to integrate RF coverage for those in common RF design to avoid mutual interference and align radio network capacity.
Weak Sector Isolation (RF) / Weak RF Isolation: The physical nature of RF propagation, aka Reflections, Diffraction, Diffusive Scattering, as well as direct out-of-main lobe emissions of RF energy, limit sectorization options and achievable Arena/Stadium capacity. Unwanted RF energy is spilling over on other cells. The effect is always observed for any existing antenna, but intensity can be controlled and assessed.
Factoring Capacity Hungry Elements into Network Design
When designing a connected stadium network, considering the capacity required for devices and machines, in addition to human users, is also crucial. Here are some key aspects to keep in mind regarding capacity for devices and machines:
IoT Devices: Stadiums increasingly rely on IoT devices for various functions like security cameras, environmental sensors, smart lighting, and more. These devices generate significant network traffic, especially with video streaming or data-intensive applications.
Point of Sale (POS) Systems: Efficient and reliable POS systems are essential for stadium operations. These systems need sufficient bandwidth to handle transaction processing, inventory management, and other critical functions during peak hours.
Venue Management Systems: Various systems are used to manage stadium operations, including access control, ticketing, and crowd management. These systems also require network capacity to ensure smooth functionality.
Digital Signage and Displays: High-resolution digital signage and displays throughout the stadium consume substantial bandwidth for content delivery and updates.
When planning network capacity, designers must factor in the estimated number and types of devices and machines that will be connected to the network. They need to consider the data requirements of these devices and ensure that the network can handle the combined traffic from both human users and machines.
Failure to account for the capacity needs of devices and machines can lead to network congestion, performance issues, and disruptions to critical stadium operations. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment of both human and machine network usage is vital for successful connected stadium design.
Other Network Design Factors: Beyond the Stands
Beyond these technical considerations, stadiums have additional design considerations, as these facilities consist of more than just a playing field and seating areas. During the design process, it's important to think about the stadium as the entire structure, including parking lots, entrances, tailgate areas, and nearby means of transportation such as subways or metro stations. The network will need to encompass all these facilities to best accommodate users, regardless of their location. It also provides insight into potential areas of low connectivity based on external structures.
After analyzing these aspects of the location, designers can then strategize how to best minimize inferences. For example, the indoor server should be the best server inside the stadium. In addition, designers need to identify key areas of the stadium. These will include places that need connectivity other than the actual seats, such as food and beverage tables, TV commentators’ area, press room, shopping areas, getting highlights back to media in real time and POS systems.
Designers also need to consider capacity when designing the network. This refers to how many users and devices can utilize the network. Designers must evaluate the estimated number of users that could be utilizing the network simultaneously to ensure specific bandwidth requirements are in place.
Lastly, designers will need to complete sectorization, a process to determine which structure will work best in the environment. Options for designing a network for a stadium include a ring, wedge, or hybrid structure. This will support designers in crafting the best plan for maximizing the stadium’s connectivity by increasing network capacity. It also aids in minimizing the number of signals present in the area by limiting sector coverage.
Additionally, there are also several types of antenna options to ensure the highest possible connectivity. Engineers will identify areas of the venue where they can mount antennas to store the headend of the in-building network, as well as potential pathways between the headend and the antennas.
A Final Word in the Network Design of Connected Stadiums
Connected stadiums unlock massive potential for better fan experiences and streamlined operations for the venue. They require meticulous planning and coordination to ensure success, making it helpful to utilize a managed services provider. Overall, when implementing these networks, experts must be adaptable and flexible in their approach as challenges and difficulties may arise. However, the design process is the key to minimizing these issues. Though they may present challenges, their benefits outweigh the potential issues.
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